Chicken Coops for Sale in Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Make a Thrifty DIY Swingset Chicken Coop
Do you have one of those old A-shaped swingsets rusting in your backyard? If you do, then you have the basis for an awesome swingset chicken coop! (And if you don’t, watch Craigslist – there are frequently people offering them for free to whoever comes to pick them up.) Creativity is key .
When we moved recently we had to leave our wonderful chicken coop behind, since it was attached to the barn. While I drooled over some of , I’m on a pretty tight budget so it was important to use items that I could acquire either cheap or free. Luckily, the house we moved to had some pretty interesting stuff in a shed and an old rusty swingset in the woods.
I don’t have a lot of construction skills but the guy who put up my fence does, and luckily, he was on board with my wacky, freebie-scrounging ideas.
For the price of some labor, some hardware, some chicken wire, and a fancy-dancy hanging chicken waterer, I got a snazzy new coop that keeps my chickens safe and sound.
Here’s what we used:
- A swingset with the swings removed
- 2 pieces of corrugated metal on the top 3/4 plus a strip of it over the top to help weather proof
- Some sheets of plywood for the bottom back of the coop
- A piece of chain link fencing for the bottom in order to keep out predators
- Some old pieces of fence posts for the bottom of the coop to attach the chicken wire and chain link to
- Some lumber for the door
- Chicken wire (It was cheaper than from my local store)
If you’re making a scrounged chicken coop, be creative and see what you components you can find for cheap or free. Because most of the items used were found, this isn’t as much a how-to as it is something to inspire you. Here are some photos so you can see how my coop was assembled.
The Scoop on my Swingset Chicken Coop
The door is very heavy, which adds a layer of security against critters that might try to get in during the night. During the day, I use a bungee to hold the door open in the event of wind so no chickens get squashed. (They’re at the door because they know they’re either getting food or getting out.)
There is also a heavy duty double hinged latch that I fasten with a carabiner at night for an added layer of security. (.)
The bottom is covered with a piece of chain link fencing that is attached to the boards that form the bottom edge of the coop.
My biggest splurge is this hanging 5 gallon water dispenser. It stays much cleaner raised a few inches off the ground, only needs to be refilled every few days, and I used the exisiting hook for a swing to hang it from. (You can – it is a lower price than it was at my local feed store.)
Here’s the interior of theswingset chicken coop. The chickens like to roost on the cross bars on each end, and there is an extra bar from an old closet that was also installed. I used some cubbies from my previous garage for nesting boxes. (I probably should have taken the interior pic before I put the chickens in here to poop on everything. Of course, anyone who has chickens knows that a coop only looks clean for about 10 minutes.)
The coop in all of its glory. I’ll be painting the plywood soon to make it a little prettier.
Thor, our LGD, is happy to follow the chickens around and protect them because he realized they’re like little feathered Pez dispensers, dropping nice little egg treats around the yard for him to enjoy. I lock them in the coop a couple of days per week and that gives us more than enough eggs for our needs. The rest of the eggs get scattered around the yard for a doggie version of an Easter egg hunt. Thor’s a little skinny so the added fat will do him good. You can see him licking his dog lips in the photo below.
Share this:
Baby Chick Hatching in Turners Falls, Massachusetts
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Turners Falls Massachusetts" into any one of the numerous search engines and a wealth of information will pop up. This information will provide links to other websites that will be informative and will provide the right direction for finding Turners Falls Massachusetts chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Turners Falls, Massachusetts With the significant increase in chicken keeping there has actually been a similarly big increase in the variety of chicken materiel for sale. Chicken real estate is a proceedings in point. It's likewise a classic example of the good old bandwagon being jumped on as different prospective poultry housing professionals peddle a selection of holiday accommodation declaring to be the suitable option to your chicken real estate requirements. Typically the rate looks eye-catching, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks desirable, hell even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look appealing. Definitely they understand a professional chicken house when they see one? There are many low-cost and also unpleasant cages flooding the market. I recognize this as I've checked a number of them in the field, and also seen a ewe run directly with one when the feed bucket appeared. The result was only a pricey pile of fire wood as well as a little flock of bemused as well as currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Roost Ideas in Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Usually these mass produced designs are constructed of fast grown hardwood - come the initial decline of rain they swell, leaving you either blockading a door that won't close, or ripping the doorway furnishings off in a vain effort to release the squawking occupants. The initial warm and comfortable day suggests the hardwood dries and cracks, the felt roof covering bubbles and also boils, and come nightfall the hens refuse to go in. This is not due to their dissatisfaction at the decline of their when appealing apartment but because the hovel is now a sanctuary for, and probably abounding, the fowl keeper's bane, red mite. Add the fact that it claimed on the blurb that it would match four big chickens when that equipping thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, as well as just what are you left with? A few joints as well as some kindling. A respectable coop for thee to four birds need to cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this could depend upon whether you choose for a complimentary standing house or one with a run affixed. Assuming you are ranging your birds in a large space as well as the pop opening door is big sufficient for the breed you maintain, after that the major requirements of housing come down to 3 factors which will certainly specify the variety of birds the house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes as well as ventilation. Many types of chicken will perch when they visit roost during the night, this perch needs to ideally be 5-8cm large with smoothed off sides so the foot rests easily on it. The perch needs to be higher than the nest box access as chickens will also naturally seek the highest point to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they create one of the most poo) resulting in dirtied eggs the following day. They shouldn't nevertheless be so high off the flooring of the house that leg injuries can occur when the bird comes down in the early morning. Chickens require about 20cm of perch each (in tiny breeds this is certainly much less), plus if more than one perch is mounted in the house they should be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their next-door neighbors but are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Preferably your house should have a the very least one nest box for every single 3 birds as well as these ought to be off the ground and also in the darkest location of your home. Your home ought to have appropriate air flow: without it after that condensation will certainly build up every night, even in the chilliest of weather. Understand, air flow works with the principle of warm and comfortable air leaving through a high space attracting cooler air in from a lower gap - it's not a collection of holes on opposite wall surfaces of your house as well as at the very same level, this is exactly what's referred to as a draught. If you have a house with a run affixed then the points above are still true, but you ought to also think about the run dimension. The EU optimum lawful stocking density for a complimentary array bird is (and also let's face it, one of the inspirations for maintaining some hens at home is possibly boosted or much better well-being) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m settled. Take a close check out some of the bargain homes - it could well be your home has the ideal perches, proper ventilation as well as sufficient nest boxes for a sensible number of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized piece of ground to invest the day on? And so as the stating goes, "you get just what you pay for". You may think you've grabbed a deal, however you and also your flock might rue the day you did. Acquisition the best house and it will last for a few years, otherwise longer provided the proper treatment. Ultimately your chicken and also your chicken maintaining encounter will certainly be a lot the much better for it.build coops
More Posts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Becket, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Ocean Bluff, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Billerica, Massachusetts